Alyssia, the Moonlight's Flower
by RequiemxDreams
Summary: Lady Alyssia is a female knight, whose relative has been kidnapped by Walter Bernhard. To save her and Leon, she makes a deal with the Lord of the Night to stay as his prisoner, which Walter accepts as key to the greater "game". But what if unpredictable things happen in the "game"? Things that Walter or Alyssia did not expect? WalterxOC eventually. Chapter 6 up!
1. The hostage taken

**Prologue**

'_Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the blessed life you have given me. Please allow my future husband Leon a safe homeward passage and let him be well. Heavenly Father, Lord Matthias has been suffering from grief ever since the death of dear Elisabetha, please allow him to find you so that he may realize the comfort and love that is still present in life from his friends, so that he may continue to live. Also, forgive me for my past transgressions and guide me along the righteous path. In Christ's name I pray, Amen.'_

Sara Trantoul brushed back her long hair and smiled. This was the first genuine smile that had graced her beautiful face that week ever since she had separated from her fiancé. For some reason, she had felt awfully apprehensive the entire week. Could it have been the dark weather that was graying the bright grasslands? Or was it the cross in the hallway that had suddenly slipped upside down as she passed by? Nonetheless, she would worry endlessly until saying her prayers at the end of the day. Now that she felt a bit more serene, she closed her eyes. The prayer itself had calmed her down by strengthening her faith in an all powerful Father. Relaxing, she allowed the power of the night lull her body to sleep as she ventured into a dream.

_The air around her was stale, and hot. It was hard to breathe. "Where am I?" she cried, "Please let me out! I cannot take a breath!" She heard footsteps outside of whatever it was that contained her. Suddenly, the top of the coffin opened as a demonic voice echoed throughout the castle's walls, "Arise Sara Trantoul, Lady of the Night." _

_Sara felt herself gripping the coffin edge before lifting herself from the black prison. The muscles around her lips curled unnaturally upwards as her eyes took in a frightful sight. It was a ghastly skeleton cloaked in wisp-like shadow. Its bony fingers curled apprehensively around the handle of a vicious- looking scythe. Behind it was her betrothed, Leon, bruised and battered. 'Sara!' he screamed, 'No, not you!' Then dread filled her as the next commands resonated from the cloaked skeleton; "Arise Sara, and feast on your love!" She felt herself moving forward and licking her lips as she leaned towards Leon's neck, and took a bite…_

"No!"

She screamed the word again and again, until she realized that it was all a dream. Still, she could taste the droplets of blood that had brushed against her tongue in her dream. And from this, she was horrified.

"no…no…no…no…"

Saying the word over and over again became a mantra, as she cradled her head, trying to erase the vivid images in her head. Had she been cursed? Was she a danger to her beloved? Suddenly, her thoughts halted when she heard an audible tap at the bedroom window. She turned her head hesitantly, and held her breath. It was an owl disturbing a branch on the elder tree. It poked its head around the window asking '_who cooks for you?_' with a series of hoots. She sighed in relief and decided to open the window for a bit of fresh air.

'After all,' she thought, 'it could have been the stuffy air in the room that caused the dream…'

Brushing the owl away from its branch, she looked upward towards the night sky expecting the soft glow of stars, only to find none. Even so, the zephyr played with her hair and smoothed her cheeks. It even seemed to be calling her name in an indistinct echo.

She closed her eyes, and relaxed, until the caresses on her face seemed a little too realistic. When she quickly opened her eyes, they met with a set of crimson ones. Sara tried to scream but realized she could not, for she was too transfixed by the intruder's gaze. He placed a finger on his lips, signaling her to be quiet before instructing her to jump out the window. To her horror, her body did as he willed, and she was unable to stop it. With the last reserves of her determination, Sara struggled to will herself not to jump. She gripped the sides of the window and strained to keep her foot from stepping over the threshold of life and death. But it was all in vain, for the stranger's will was stronger than hers. She fell. As darkness began to cloud her vision, Sara's last thoughts echoed in her head, _'Leon…help me…'_

Walter smirked as the lady in white tried to resist his commands. It was amusing for him to see her squirm against his will, for he knew her actions were futile. As she fell, he waited for her to faint before transforming into a shadowy beast and carrying the body away to the forests beyond. He smirked, _'Let the games begin.'_


	2. The letter received

**Chapter 2 **

It was flying, literally. The horse's hooves were practically leaping off the ground as the rider's spurs dug deep into its flesh. They sped by the villages, allowing the inhabitants to see nothing but a streaking blur of maroon and ebony. The rider and the horse were one. When the target location drew near, the rider pulled his horse to a halt,

"Hyah!"

The undead horse halted to its master decree, and waited impatiently for the bit to be taken away. With a flurry of neighs and gasps, it collapsed into the soft grass, where it rested in the rain as its master walked on into the distance.

He had arrived later than he was supposed to.

'_I don't understand', _the rider thought, _'why send a letter at such a distance?'_ He had covered more than a twenty leagues before midnight, tiring both himself and his horse. But then again, who was he to question the Lord of the Night? It was much better to do as _he_ said than to suffer _his_ wrath. He clenched the letter in his left hand and grimaced as he remembered the last time he had tried to challenge his master.

* * *

><p><em>(Flashback)<em>

"_Would you like another?" Walter asked as he licked the blood off the whip. _

_He groaned in pain before muttering, "Go to hell." _

_Walter laughed, "We're already there" _

_The next blow fell again and again as the blood flowed down the sewer drains. The murky water shivered as sadistic laughter ricocheted off the castle's stone walls. _

* * *

><p>It had taken him almost two months to recover, let alone reattach his limbs. Ay, it was definitely better to obey the master.<p>

'_But not without rest,' _he thought as he closed in to the nearest inn. For his job however was not without benefits. Lord Bernhard had given him enough gold coins to afford the best rooms wherever he went.

The inn itself was scarce, except for the innkeeper, a drunkard, and the cook. The rider decided to sit near the window, away from the fire, and said, "Oy, can I get sums food ha'ir?"

He mumbled, "I'ma downwright starvin'."

As he finished his words, the innkeeper approached and asked, "What'll it be sir?"

Grumbling, the rider continued, "Do ya have any leg o' lambs?"

The innkeeper nodded before writing the order down.

"Anything else sir?"

After adding a copious amount of ale to the order, along with some potatoes, the rider gestured the innkeeper away, and was left to his own thoughts.

Suddenly the bells attached to the entrance rang, announcing the presence of a new guest. This was good news for the innkeeper, who rarely had two in one night.

The new stranger was heavily cloaked,

'_Probably 'cause of the heav' rain…" _thought the rider as he watched with keen interest.

"Welcome back Lady Alyssia," said the innkeeper as she came out with the kitchen with the ordered food.

The stranger grunted before taking off her hood. "It's good to be back Marge," she replied as she pulled up close to the fire. "The last job took a lot out of me. I'm hoping to get a room for tonight,"

"And the usual?"

Steaming dishes of grub were placed in the rider's view.

She nodded her head before nibbling her freshly lit pipe, "The usual."

As he ate his mutton and taters, the rider could not help but look at the stranger. She was obviously an experienced fighter. Although she threw a peasant's cloak over her armor - whether she was trying to conceal her occupation the rider did not know - the fire illuminated the metallic characteristics of her now visible vambraces and sword.

Alyssia, who felt the eyes of the stranger prying through her cloak, turned towards the dark area of the dining hall and firmly stated, "It is rude to stare at a person who is trying to enjoy her meal." Brandishing her speared meat with a fork, she continued, "But if it is curiosity that beseeches you, feel free to ask."

Clearing his throat, the rider hurriedly swallowed his chunks of taters, which suddenly dried in his throat as the stranger abruptly addressed him. Once the mouthful had all gone down, he answered, "Lady huh? Be you a knight?"

Alyssia looked at the stranger in front of her and replied, "Yes, I am a woman-knight, a _chevalière_ if you will." Her answer was met with a horde of laughter from the rider.

"A woman-knight, oh I ne'er heard of sumpthings like that!" When all was done, the rider introduced himself, "Forgive me for the laughs, I've had a long day t'day, The name's Nathaniel, Nathaniel Beldune."

The _chevalière _smiled a forgiving grin and responded, "My name is Alyssia, Alyssia Trantoul."

His drink stopped in mid-air as she stated her last name, "Trantoul? As in that of the merchant family?"

Alyssia casually nodded her head and replied, "Why yes, do you know the family?"

Nodding and sipping his ale, Nathaniel decided to leave behind the note behind to her.

'_It makes sense," _he thought,_ "she's obviously going to care about her relative right?"_

"In that case," Nathaniel said, digging into his grimy cloak for a particular object, "I think this belongs to ya." He walked over and handed her a slightly wrinkled envelope that had a red wax seal.

"Good day Lady Trantoul," said the departing rider, as he left multiple questions in Alyssia's mind unanswered. "And good luck with your task."

'_Good luck with your task? '_thought Alyssia, '_What does he mean?'_

As she broke the wax seal, which had a dragon insignia on it, she grasped the letter and perused it quickly.

With trembling hands, she stood up and stomped her way to the door, and flung it open, only to find the rider gone.

"Lady Alyssia!" cried the innkeeper, who was troubled to find her leaving so soon, "What's wrong?"

Gritting her teeth and searching for any sign of the phantom rider, Alyssia looked at the letter once more to verify that this was no nightmare.

_To Whomever may express the utmost concern for Sara Trantoul:_

_I, Lord Bernhard, Lord of the Night, have brought her to the Forest of Eternal Night against her will. If you wish to rescue her alive, meet me at the Bernhard Castle with none but yourself. _

_Signed,_

_Lord Walter Bernhard_

"Is anything wrong?" repeated the innkeeper. She was worried now, because her two potential customers were about to leave after staying at her inn for less than two hours.

"There is just something I need to take care of," responded Alyssia as she handed the innkeeper her pay. "I will return soon. Till then, please take care of my room."

And with that, Alyssia began her journey into the night, towards her former home.


	3. Advice from a sick friend

**Chapter 3**

Matthias slumped against the wooden bed frame as he silently meditated on his turbulent thoughts. _'This is unbelievable…' _he thought as his eyebrows creased his forehead. Walter's personal messenger, the one who had served him for over the past three decades, had failed to deliver the ransom epistle to the right person. What's worse was that Bernhard was too indolent to take responsibility for his failure and write another letter to present to Leon before he arrived at his keep.

'_So the task is left to me,' _thought Matthias, who glanced at a white handkerchief in his hands, _'Because that insolent fool of a vampire couldn't handle a simple task.'_

Although Leon would never be as intelligent as him, he was a sensible man who was able to put consecutive events together if given enough time to think it over. And this was what worried Matthias the most. If Leon's trust in him was breached, he would have to deal with a physically skilled and powerful adversary along with an all-powerful vampire. This was a very dangerous game indeed.

'_But if I can emotionally blind him so that he won't have a second thought about any of this…' _Matthias stroked his chin, _'He can get to Bernhard and kill him before figuring anything out.' _And Matthias knew just how to do so.

"Milord!" called a servant, who knocked on the oak door, "Baron Belmont awaits your presence."

"Send him in." replied Matthias in a feigned sickly voice. This act was followed by a series of coughs as the blonde stepped in.

"Matthias!" exclaimed Leon with a smile on his face. "It has been too long my friend."

Leon looked at his brother-in-arms with a grin that would have lifted Matthias's spirits, had he not felt unsettled by it instead. Three coverlets shrouded Matthias' body from Leon and sheltered him from the cold. Books were left on the shelves, in their alphabetical order that their master preferred, resulting in a colorful assortment that rivaled that of the window's owl mosaic, which suited Matthias's title as "Cronqvist the Wise". With the exception of a thin layer of dust that covered the once well-occupied desk where the master tactician would formulate battle strategies, the room itself was impeccably organized.

Matthias pointed to the dying fire while in the midst of his uncontrollable coughs, and Leon immediately set upon the task at once, eager to be of any comfort to his bedridden comrade. As he set a new pile of dry firewood onto the burning embers, Matthias caught his breath and sighed, "It is good that you are still well."

"You seem a tad bit better than you did the last time I saw you." said Leon with a smile.

Seating his self down onto a nearby chair, he continued, "Last time, you could not even sit yourself up, ever since…"

The fire's destructive crackle was all that was audible throughout the dense silence in the room as its intense heat split apart the arid interior of the wooden logs.

"It is alright Leon." said Matthias as he tried to hide his despondent look by staring at the growing flames. '_Surely he had not meant to say such brash things' _he thought as he firmly clenched the blanket around him.

"No, forgive me Cronqvist, that was thoughtless of me…I should have known." started Leon as he turned away from his still grieving friend. Leon knew that Matthias was still bedridden from his loved one's death. He cursed at himself for bringing it up again, especially after meeting him after an extended absence.

"I've heard from a friend that when one is ill" commenced Leon anew, as he tried to lighten the mood in the shadowy room, "it is better to expose oneself to more fresh air and sunlight."

Gesturing to the only window in the room, Leon asked for Matthias's permission.

Instead, Matthias shook his head and requested to stay in the cool darkness he was in.

"It is better for my condition."

As Leon struggled to earnestly think of another topic to speak of, Matthias decided to introduce one that would better suit his purpose.

"How is your beloved Sara?" he asked in a nonchalant tone.

To this Leon responded hesitantly, "I have not seen her around actually." He was surprised that Matthias would even be casual to the question he had asked. "I made it my priority to see how you were faring first. Why do you ask?"

Matthias placed his hand on his comrade's shoulder and laughed while shaking his head once more. "Leon, you mean to tell me that you came to me first instead of your future wife?" With an amused smile, he continued, "As _touched_ as I am by your concern Leon, I believe your fiancée should be your priority."

Leon blushed to this, and immediately turned bashful. "Well, I-I've been meaning to surprise her with my arrival from the Crusades with a grand return full of flowers and gifts…"

Then he hung his head, "Darn it Matthias, she'll never let this one go…"

"I'll make sure she knows." Matthias added in a playful tone. Then he decided that there had been enough idling and that it was time to get to the main entrée of the meeting. After all, Leon's early question had given him the perfect opening.

"Leon, remember when you asked why I was concerned?" said Matthias while gazing intently at his soon-to-be-tool. "Well, I've been remembering this dream I've had about two nights ago."

"Was it about your battle strategies?" asked Leon, pointing at the geometric drawings that were placed near his friend's bedside table. "Honestly Matthias, you need to focus on getting your rest…"

"No" interrupted Matthias as he continued his *dream*. "What I saw was something beyond my comprehension and I may need your advice."

Now Matthias rarely needed Leon's consultation on anything, especially when it was on a subject as abstract as dreams. So Leon attentively listened as his friend began the strange tale.

"There was an enormous bat-like creature that was flying across the night sky towards the dark forest." Matthias pointed out the direction the creature had been flying towards with his finger, which Leon followed.

"And in the creature's grasp was a young maiden dressed in the purest white clothes. Before she disappeared, she dropped a paper-like object onto the ground."

At this point, Leon was captivated to the dream as a child would be to a story. Whether it was the skill Matthias told it with, or the supernatural feel the dream held, it was unsure. But the effect was still the same; it engrossed his attention.

"The oddest part was," stated Matthias as his eyebrows creased in apparent confusion, "one of my servants went out to that exact area in the fields the next day, only to find this."

What Leon saw made his heart stop momentarily.

"So the question I am left with is this Leon," said Matthias, "Do you think it was a mere coincidence? Or do you think it was just a dream?"

"This, your servant found this?" Leon's voice had a slight quiver that Matthias heard as he was handed the white handkerchief.

'_Good, he's being drawn by fear and desperation.'_

"Fascinating no? And I thought it was only a dream. Do you think monsters like that really exist?"

"This" continued Leon as he was absorbed into his own train of thought as he ignored Matthias's trivial questions. "This is Sara's!"

Matthias's eyes widened as he continued to play his act. "Sara's? No, it can't be. Are you absolutely certain?"

Leon's fingers trembled in anger and shock as the floral pattern in the ivory cloth emphasized the validity of the situation at hand.

"Absolutely. I recognize this Alstromeria design, along the gold outlines of the handkerchief itself. This is the gift I gave to Sara the first time I saw her at my jousting tournament.!"

"Then this is no dream Leon," said Matthias, more than ready to push Leon into his trap.

"And neither was that beast that you saw take Sara away." replied Leon as his former smile disappeared.

"What are you going to do?"

The evidence in front of Leon taunted him. He knew about the pope's orders; no unauthorized confrontations were to take place aside those of the Crusades. He would have to give up his family's namesake and glory to fight this evil fiend to save the woman he loved. But if he could not save her, everything would have been lost.

_'Cursed be me,' _thought Leon, who was ashamed to even have conflicting thoughts when he knew he had to rescue his love.

Matthias, with his keen insight, was able to relay Leon's conflicting thoughts in his own head. They had been allies for quite some time now, and he knew his friend very well.

"Leon" he started with a solemn yet knowledgeable tone. "You know as well as I that I am a practical individual, one who would measure the odds before taking the best course of action. But in this case, I must advise you to follow your heart."

"Matthias, I…" Leon did not know what to say, nor did he know how Matthias had read his conflicting thoughts.

"The pain of losing a loved one" interrupted Matthias, "is more than any agony one could possibly bear…Leon, go and rescue her."

Although it was all supposed to be a deceptive coup for immortality, Matthias felt genuine tears of sadness emerging out of the corners of his heart as he urged his friend to rescue his fiancée.

Leon saw this, and grasped his friend's shoulder in a comforting manner.

"Matthias, I will save her. Thank you my friend."

As Leon's footsteps left in a determined manner, the light in the room slowly faded away to darkness. And as the flames in the fireplace slowly died away, Matthias's heart grew inhumanely cold. He smirked and thought of how cleverly the conversation went, and how Leon would soon be a valuable asset in quenching his fanatical ambition.

His eyes gleamed unnaturally in the dark as he whispered, "The fool."


	4. Enter Alyssia

**Chapter 4**

Rinaldo sat inside his hut and gazed out the window, taking a break from carving the wooden molding for his next alchemical weapon. His back ached from having to bend over for so long, as did his arms and eyes. Carving wood to the perfect shape was never an easy task, especially when a one-time mistake ruined the entire mold. With the beams of the misty moonlight dappling the grounds of the dark forest, accompanied by the symphony of crickets calling to their mates, the Forest of Eternal Night had a tranquil atmosphere at the moment. But Rinaldo dismissed this, knowing better than to judge the place by appearances alone.

'_For not everything is as it seems here.' _he reminded himself with a scowl on his face.

It was usually within these serene calms that a chaotic storm emerged. And it seemed to have begun.

A young knight on a brown steed ran headstrong along the dirt path. Covering her chest was an ornately designed breastplate that corresponded with the silver lining in her vambraces. The toes of her knee high boots were covered with steel sabatons and greaves, all which shimmered subtly underneath the shadow of her worn peasant's cloak. Her hair, which was also covered by the hood of her leather robe, was fashioned in a braided ponytail, which bounced in the air in cadence with her canter. The young lady had come prepared for the confrontation that would possibly ensue. She was ready to liberate her sister from the fiend that dared to kidnap her. She did not, however, know about the barrier surrounding the enchanted forest. So as she phased through it with a violent flash, it effectively startled her horse, which reared upwards with a neigh, resulting in her fall to the ground with a thud.

Rinaldo, seeing the fall, rushed outside to help the stranger, whose back was turned towards him. His eyes widened when the fallen hood revealed that the stranger was a young woman instead of a young man. She slowly rose while brushing off the dirt on her right shoulder, unaware of the old hermit behind her.

"Are you alright?" he started as he approached the individual, ready to be of help if she was injured.

Alyssia turned around in alarm and pulled out her sword with frightening speed.

"Stay back if you wish to live."

Rinaldo, whose arms were raised at the moment, continued in a calm and steady tone.

"Now don't get so excited…I'm just an old man. I just came to possibly help the maiden crazy enough to come here. You did fall off a horse just now"

Alyssia took a look at the person in front of her. Although the shadows of the forest concealed most of his face, his eyes held a grandfatherly kindness that she knew an honest man would have. He was not a fiend at all. And with both arms in the air, she saw that he was unarmed; obviously he would be of little threat. Sheathing her sword, she extended an open hand in apology. "I am Alyssia Trantoul."

He shook her hand and replied, "Rinaldo Gandolfi."

While Alyssia attempted to calm her horse, Rinaldo took a look at the pair and commented,

"He must really like you. You won't be able to leave now."

"Who?" asked Alyssia as she carefully got back on her steed, getting ready to go towards the castle.

"Walter Bernhard" said Rinaldo. When he realized what Alyssia was doing, he immediately blocked her path. "You aren't thinking about facing him are you?"

"I'll have to if I want to free my sister" confirmed Alyssia in a solemn but tired tone.

From the moment she had read that damned letter, she was ready to slay the brute who had dared to kidnap her younger sibling. Although they were not bound by blood, Sara had always been like a precious family member to her. Ever since she could remember, they would always get into trouble for playing innocent pranks on the servants. And whenever Alyssia, the older of the two, was to be punished, Sara would be able to smile her way into her parent's hearts, easing whatever discipline there was to follow. But this time, it was Sara who needed to be freed. And Alyssia was ready to do so, whatever the cost.

"Before you do, please follow me to my cottage" pleaded Rinaldo as he patted the horse's face. "There is something I must give you to ensure your safety. Besides" Rinaldo continued, sensing Alyssia's doubt, "You'll need a place for your steed. You cannot take him with you to the castle."

With a sigh, Alyssia nodded in agreement and lowered herself from her mount.

As Rinaldo led her stallion towards a water trough, she leaned against the wooden beam while crossing her arms. She asked him, "Rinaldo, why do you stay in a place like this?"

As he grunted while lifting the stuck latch to lock the steed inside, he answered, "I have unfinished business with the master of this forest."

Then the two made their way to his humble abode. Opening the cottage door, he gestured for his guest to come in.

"Unfinished business? What do you mean?" Alyssia continued as she looked around. The cabin had seemed small from the outside, but the interior was pretty spacious with a secure atmosphere. Animal hides of the forest creatures carpeted the wooden floors, instilling a sense of comfort. There was a counter where Rinaldo stood as he searched for a certain object. Behind him, were shelves and various displays of weaponry and mystical items. And with the fire crackling in the hearth, Alyssia uncrossed her arms as she felt the warmth seep into her cold body, chilled from the cutting winds outside. She felt…safe.

"It's not worth mentioning. I own him." said Rinaldo as he continued to rummage through his storage.

"Ah."

The single syllable announced his successful discovery.

"Take this with you. It will help you against the monsters."

Alyssia's eyes narrowed as she looked at the object he had in hand. "Isn't that just a cloak?"

It was beautiful and velvety – like nothing she had ever owned as of yet. Inlaid the deep burgundy fabric were threads of gold, arranged in the shape of oak leaves. It had a hood, and seemed long enough to cover her body up to her calves. As she coursed her hand through the cloth, she felt the warmth it held, the very warmth that the very cabin possessed.

"Actually, this is an enchanted cloak, woven from the magic of alchemy. It is stronger than any piece of armor you may own, and it will help protect you in your journey."

"Alchemy?"

"Yes, it's a secret art that many are not familiar with. And for good reason."

Alyssia was aware of what alchemy was as well as how people viewed it. The useful art was deemed as demonic, and was usually the basis of executions she had seen during the many witch trials in her journey throughout Europe. This was especially the case when the Crusaders came in to eradicate the so called "heretics" on their way to Jerusalem. In her mind, it was actually the "soldiers of God" themselves who were the heretics, for they raped, plundered, and murdered with little restraint. Although there were a few honorable knights who restrained their company from sinking to such depraving levels, most of them were blind fools. She remembered encountering some of them as she walked past with an innocent babe in her arms. The infant's parents were just merchants who had been butchered for their different beliefs within the cosmopolitan trade center at Constantinople. When she came across the burning building, she was too late to save anyone except the child alone, who was wailing from the intense heat at the time. She was able to get on a ship, to a port in France, where a couple who could have no child of their own asked to take care of the boy. The baby was then given a name, Azariel, which was well-suited for him; it meant "God is my aid"".

"It's viewed by some as heresy." Pausing before handing the cloak over to Alyssia, Rinaldo asked with a piercing gaze. "Are you one of them?"

"No. I am not." replied Alyssia as she shook her head.

"In that case, I hope you will succeed in your quest." His voice cut softly as he offered the magical item to her. "Many others have come before you, but they have usually met a bitterly tragic end."

Letting an audible sigh escape his lips, Rinaldo continued his warning, "I pray that yours will not end like theirs."

Taking the cloak with both hands, Alyssia thanked Rinaldo before taking off her own tattered mantle. It fell to the ground with a heavy thump before being tossed into the fire, which devoured it instantly. Then, she whirled the new burgundy colored robe in the air before slipping it over her armor. Her face lightened in glee as she swirled the cape around. It was feathery light, magical, and felt like she had nothing covering her except her armor. She thanked Rinaldo before heading out the door towards the castle.

"And," she started, "I'll be sure to return alive. Thank you Rinaldo."

The door creaked open as she stepped out onto the dirt path. Before she had completely faded from his sight, Rinaldo called out to her, "I forgot to tell you. There are five monsters guarding the path to the throne room. You will need to defeat them first."

A scowl spread across Alyssia's face as she listened to Rinaldo's message. "What a bothersome – "

"This" Rinaldo interrupted, "is essentially a game for him. Remember that."

Rinaldo's comment unsettled Alyssia even more. "So, it's all just a game…"

She hesitated as she thought about the situation at hand. _'_

_So'_' she thought with her eyebrows furrowing, _'it isn't just a mere ransom_.'

And it would not just be an ordinary duel. If this was kidnapping was merely a sport of cat and mouse for Walter, it would mean that little room for discussion existed. Also, it implied that he had done this before with great success. With that said, the chances of getting both her sister and herself out safely were slim.

"If you have troubles, come back here anytime" reassured Rinaldo as he sensed Alyssia's anxieties. "They won't be free, but I'll keep potions on hand for you."

After thanking him once more, Alyssia continued on her path with her cloak fluttering behind her like a comet's trail.

Rinaldo sighed as the maiden disappeared. Alyssia had reminded him of his daughter, the one that was killed by her own sister.

'_If she were still alive' _he thought, _'she would have been around her age.'_

As the wind howled around him again, he retired back into the safety of his hut. He would have to create potions ready for her return. As he went back inside, the grass swayed at the rough care of the wind as it blew towards the castle, as if it was eager to see what new show would play.

"


	5. Troublesome Obstacles & Meddlesome Tasks

Chapter 4: Troublesome Obstacles and Meddlesome Tasks

Shadows flickered on the thick lush grass as Alyssia crossed the open drawbridge to the castle's portcullis. Her footsteps thudded heavily against the aged wood, and each step rippled the murky moat waters below.

Then, she stopped. In front of her was a grand room lit by several eerie blue fires, each one positioned on the top of their corresponding stone basins.

"Now which way do I go?"

She circled around and surveyed the room, checking for any threats while planning her next move. The current room she was in separated into three different hallways. A pair of doorways was on her left and right side, each framed with massive stone archways that had a gargoyle on the keystone. And the third was directly in front of her. It consisted of a double-sided stairway that led up to a wooden door. And that was where Alyssia headed.

It was only seconds after her fingers had grasped the door handle, that she drew her arm back in alarm. Azure flames were instantly engulfing her right arm, and the terrible sight was followed by brief, yet intense sensations of pain.

Seething her teeth in agony, Alyssia's mind wandered into her memories, reaching out for some past information to make sense of the strange situation. Then she remembered Rinaldo's words;

"_There are five monsters guarding the path to the throne room. You will need to defeat them first._"

As if timed with her epiphany, a five-ringed seal suddenly formed and revolved on the polished surface of the door, each seal corresponding with each of the five monsters that she realized she would have to face.

"That damn bastard" she cursed as she descended down the stairs. "Hiding behind the covers of magic and fiends."

The burning sensation in her hand had dulled down to an uncomfortable ache. Alyssia gingerly unclenched her fist that had formed during her punishment; there was no evidence of physical damage. Other than being a little sore to move, her hand was still functional. She would be able to wield her main weapon and finish her task – there was still hope.

She quietly passed under the gargoyle keystone on one of the arches and entered a wide room with green marble floors. The floor itself seemed like water; it shined under the unnatural cerulean flames and seemed to undulate with every flicker. Alyssia treaded on the red carpet and followed its gentle slope to a small circular platform, where it ended and left her with the view of a large goat mosaic.

Alyssia's lips drew into a stern frown as she read the alchemical symbols around the platform surrounding the horned devil on the floor below.

'This is definitely the work of dark magic…and it's actually from a demonic source…'

Alyssia smirked in irony as she remembered the accusations crusaders had against the accused witches and heretics. They were poor souls who knew nothing about alchemy.

'And those fools decide to burn them to death instead of true monsters like these…'

It was hilarious and horribly tragic at the same time.

As she stood and looked into the symbols, Alyssia's heart beat rapidly with anxiety. Something on the platform unnerved her; it told her that the evil that had constructed it was an ancient and powerful entity, and entity that Alyssia should not take on alone. Unfortunately, time was against her. She couldn't leave to get more help, nor could she ever hope of gaining an audience with the pope. Besides, that would never happen; she was a woman.

Then she thought about her situation. She was a woman with a strange cloak and sword, whose only source of aid was from an elderly man outside the castle's walls. And time was scarce.

Hastily making up her mind, Alyssia jumped onto the platform on the farthest right and waited to be teleported to her unknown destination. The light shined beneath through the cracks of the rock and engulfed her vision of sight, allowing her to only see a hazy white glare. When she regained her sense of sight, Alyssia saw that she was in a beautiful room with elegant glass-window mosaics. It would have been a tranquil atmosphere, had there not been skeletons walking towards her up the stairs. Alyssia quickly withdrew her sword and lunged forward to deal with her enemies. With only a few swipes and disarmaments, a pile of bones and broken helmets lay behind as Alyssia pushed through the double doors.

The next room held a complete cathedral. Its large size, along with the uniform position of the pews, down to the very peg in the wooden legs, reflected the magnificence behind the construction of this chamber.

'and yet,' thought Alyssia, 'it is in the castle of a murderer.'

She walked down the aisle of wooden benches, in the direction that they were facing. On the pedestal was a leathery map that revealed to her the rooms of the area she was in. Her stomach rolled as she grasped the sheer number of rooms there were in this place. There were literally hundreds.

But on the colossal map of the labyrinth, she noticed a strange glow on one of the rooms. Lying on the center of the map, the circular room glowed a pale blue, like a will'o'wisp, beckoning her to go deeper into mystery of the castle's domain.

'_That must be where the first monster_ _is'_ she thought.

She was close; it was only a few rooms and twisted hallways away from her current destination. She would go in, slay the creature, and knock down one of the five tasks.

The monster itself was not too difficult to kill, but its sheer size and appearance was revolting. It was an oversized, fire-breathing worm that hid itself in the numerous tunnels of the dirty "shrine". The only difficulty present was dealing with the undead corpses that came from all directions during the confrontation. Hiding in the pulsing veins underneath the ground, the possessed corpses seemed to emerge endlessly with an insatiable hunger for flesh. They were distractive and annoying. Fortunately, the worm burned them while trying to burn her and Alyssia was able to kill the creature with much ease.

Now with the task done, Alyssia found herself in a completely different room than before; the once filth shrine turned into a small room with stained chapel windows. In the middle of the room was her prize, the blue orb. She grasped it and was encircled in a white light, similar to the one that had transported her to House of Sacred Remains in the first place. She was suddenly greeted by a friendly sight, Rinaldo's house. With the burns she received, she went in, eager to show the elderly man her recent success.

Rinaldo was finishing carving the last few designs into his wooden mold of a dagger when Alyssia walked in.

"Alyssia! What a pleasant surprise. And I see that you have succeeded in obtaining the first of the five orbs."

"Yes I did. But I couldn't have done it without your help Rinaldo. Thank you."

Rinaldo's lips creased into a smile before responding. "You're welcome."

Just as Alyssia was about to walk out to the castle again, Rinaldo called out to her,

"Alyssia, a young man came by looking for the same maiden as you. He said his name was Leon, a Leon Belmont."

Alyssia stopped in her tracks.

"Do you know him by any chance?"

"Did he by any chance have blonde hair?"

Rinaldo nodded.

"Was he a Lord of a nearby province?"

"He was a Baron."

_Then it was him!_

Alyssia had known Leon from battling for God in the crusades alongside him many months before. Although he was not dishonorable in his conduct, there were several members in the army that were. And it was this hypocrisy that created a conflict between her beliefs and Leon's, a conflict that resulted in not seeing each other for the longest time. And now, they were together again. But this time, for a different reason altogether.

She sprinted out the door to the castle, eager to see the familiar face she hadn't seen in a good while.


	6. Enter Leon Belmont and Succumbus

**Chapter 5**

Leon stared at the red orb as it floated out of his hand. Its soft glow illuminated the dark corners of the room before becoming a stream of light that collided with one of the five pedestals underneath the main staircase. There it became a bigger orb, a key to one of the five seals. With his last encounter in the Anti-souls Mysteries Lab, Leon knew Lord Bernhard was one that dealt in the dark arts, and that he was well-versed in his alchemy. Simple wonders, like these floating orbs of light, were wonderful to the eye. But in a place like this it foreshadowed an ominous presence and other unknown dangers that dwelled in the dark.

"Lord Belmont!"

He turned his head towards the source of the voice. It was Alyssia Trantoul, one of his former comrades from the Crusades.

Drawing her into a warm embrace, Leon exclaimed,

"It is good to see you again Lady Alyssia."

Alyssia returned the hug.

"Not as good as it is to see you. And please, just Alyssia. There's no need for formalities, especially from the Baron. What brings you here?"

The smile that lay within his eyes saddened into a mute sadness and fear.

"Sara has been kidnapped by a demonic creature who resides deep in these woods. I am here to take her home, where she will be safe."

"Ah. I see. Well to save her we will need to open the sealed door. I have one of them, and it seems," Alyssia gestured towards the already glowing plinth, "that you've got the red one already."

With that Alyssia took out the glowing blue orb from her pouch and opened her hand. It collided into its sister pedestal and took its luminous place among the conclave beneath the stairs.

"Why is it that you are here Alyssia?"

She replied back, "I am here to save Sara as well. I've come to make sure my blade rips out his evil heart."

Leon nodded.

"We shall make him suffer and face the consequences. Together. "

With a smile Leon turned away from Alyssia and gazed ahead at the three remaining pedestals that kept Sarah away from them. The smile faded away as his eyes hardened; his concentration grew deeper with his the furrow on his brow as did his evident frustration.

"But… to accomplish such a task, we must get this cursed seal out of the way. Alyssia, we must split the task between us. You choose one, and I will go to another. Once you get the orb, wait for me at Rinaldo's house. We'll finish the last of these bothersome challenges together before facing this Lord Bernhard."

Alyssia nodded with solemn understanding.

"I agree wholeheartedly Lord Belmont. I do shall meet you there, and together we shall slay this foe."

* * *

><p>The teleportation room was the same as it was before; ornate with archaic symbols and sigils that glowed a shade between magenta and dark blue. Alyssia and Leon discussed which paths had already been taken before deciding their next move.<p>

"I'll head to the "Dark Palace of Waterfalls"," said Leon as he read the inscriptions on the floating disk-shaped platforms. "You can go to the "Ghostly Theater"."

"Alright. I'll meet you at RInaldo's. Good luck Leon, and be safe."

With a flash of light, Leon was teleported to a different part of the castle. Alyssia took her place, and waited as the ever so familiar light enveloped around her and brought her to an unfamiliar setting.

The theater was well furnished and kept, unlike the other part of the castle she had been to. Although it was hauntingly empty, it had a sense of peace as well as a dream-like atmosphere.

"It's beautiful." said Alyssia to herself as she saw the grand staircases lined with red velvet carpets lined in gold. It reminded her of France, and the elegant palaces the King had built for his court.

But then she saw something move within her peripheral vision. Quickly rolling to her left, she saw that she had barely dodged an arrow. A skeleton archer had shot it at her direction, and it wasn't alone. Three combatants, armed with malicious blades and round shields, were floating down the staircase to her direction. Alyssia quickly drew her own red blade and readied herself to fight.

She would have to make the first attack. Lunging forward at the nearest opponent, Alyssia was able to catch the monster off-guard and swiftly disarm it. Although it was a ghost, it would not stand a chance against her blade, which had been blessed at the Vatican. The monster let out as sound similar to a dying whisper as the blade made a beheading motion.

'_One down, three more to go.' _

Alyssia dodged another arrow that was shot in her direction and positioned her two close attackers in between her and the archer. It would give her some time and temporary protection. Kicking the one on her right to push it back, she maneuvered herself to grab the other one's shield before hurling it towards the skeleton archer. It made a satisfying clang that made her smirk as she focused her attention on the two ghosts in front of her. Within a few seconds, the once floating helmets and swords fell to the ground with a dead clank.

'_That was too easy.'_ She thought as she examined the fallen artifacts. "is that all there is here?"

As if to answer her question, a circle of violet light appeared, and formed a silhouette of a behemoth-sized figure.

Her heart quickened its pace as she distanced herself from the summoning portal, wary of what was to come next.

At last, the secret was revealed. The monster was an armoured-knight that wielded a shield and axe equal to its massive size. Inhuman red light glared out through the slits of the helmets and focused on Alyssia. She gulped.

With a bellowing roar, the goliath swung its axe towards its enemy. It missed, but shook the grounds of the room.

Alyssia thought fast as she strived to avoid the wide range on the creature.

'_It's big, but it's slow. I could use that to my advantage.'_

She placed herself right in front of the creature and stood her ground.

The creature, seeing that its prey was positioned in a perfect killing zone, raised its weapon to strike her down. Within a fraction of a second before it could touch her, Alyssia sidestepped to her right and avoided the lethal blade before hopping onto the metal shaft. She sprinted up the length of the weapon and jumped onto her opponent's shoulders before stabbing it through the visor of the helmet, straight in between the two red "eyes". It groaned in pain and swung its head around as it tried to crush its opponent, but Alyssia held on fast and pushed the blade until the visor came up to the hilt. With an audible sigh, the behemoth began to dissolve away into nothing but dust. , weapons and all.

It left behind an enchanted map.

"Good," said Alyssia as she picked up the newly acquired item. "This should be of some use to me."

She opened it and saw that there were two levels. But there was only one room that had an eerily glowing marker on it.

"That must be where I need to go."

Quickly plotting the most direct route, Alyssia made her way through the Theatre, fighting many fiends to get by.

Eventually, she made it to the familiar door that had a monster's head engraved into it. Taking a breath, she pushed the two doors and walked in.

* * *

><p>The room was just as elegant as the rest of the place. Except this time, in the far end of the room, there was a stage with drawn curtains. And on the stage, there was…<p>

"Sara?"

Sara Trantoul turned and looked at Alyssia.

"Who…who are you?"

Alyssia stopped dead in her tracks.

"Who am I?" she said in a bewildered voice. "I'm your sister, Alyssia!" She noticed something was wrong. Sara would have immediately recognized her and would have run towards her. This person was not Sara.

"Who are you? And what have you done with my sister?"

"Sara" stared at her for a long time before whining.

"Damn it. I was expecting that handsome knight to arrive. Not some damsel."

With that, Sara's image rippled like that of water, and reformed into a hauntingly beautiful and under-clad woman with bat-like wings.

"What the?"

Then it hit her. Alyssia recognized what this creature was.

"You're a succumbus."

The succumbus laughed a high-pitched giggle as she floated around the room.

"Indeed I am."

She suddenly flew close behind Alyssia and smiled, "And you know what entertains me. Men screaming for their…" she leaned close to Alyssia's ears and whispered, "Release."

Alyssia swung her hand around to push the succumbus off, but the demonness was already in the air before she could hit her.

"But now that you've come instead of dear Leon…"

The last part of that sentence mimicked Sara's voice so well that Alyssia almost believed she was in the room.

"All the fun has been ruined."

Alyssia growled in frustration as the succumbus was evading her attacks. "I'm so sorry to have ruined your _fun_. But I'm here for the key to one of the five seals. Either present it to me, or I will kill you to get it."

"Oh such harsh words from a _lady_" said the succumbus. She laughed, "I guess you'll have to try and kill me then, if you can. I won't give the key to someone who ruined my _fun_."

She then whirled in the air before facing Alyssia, "Oh well, turning you into a bloody corpse will do me just as much fun I'm sure."

Immediately thorny plants sprang from the ground and started to swing their vines towards Alyssia. She quickly rolled towards one of the plants and cut the stem right off before trying to target the succumbus. But two more vines grew in its place and caught Alyssia on the arm and hip before throwing her towards the stage.

Alyssia landed with a thud and gritted her teeth in agony. The thorns had left some cuts on her upper arm and hip, but she shook the pain away. Getting back on her feet, she saw that the plant's mistress was in the air, giggling sadistically at her troubles.

Alyssia decided to kill the witch first before dealing with the plants.

'_After all,' _she thought, _'if she controls them, maybe they'll die if I kill her.'_

She carefully aimed before launching her sword towards the succumbus. Instead of hitting the enemy, it impaled the wall behind its intended target and stayed lodged there.

"Now now" the succumbus' voice echoed in the room. "What is poor Alyssia going to do without her weapon?"

There was some truth to the taunt, as Alyssia knew without her weapon, she could not win. She ducked through the swinging maze of thorny vines as she tried desperately to reach her blessed weapon.

Her fingers were almost at the hilt when she was picked up into the air by the succumbus herself.

The succumbus licked her lips, "I'll make sure Leon finds you, and when he does, I'll make sure he has his _fun_ too!"

Then the demonness cackled as she reveled in her impending victory against a lady-knight.

This gave Alyssia just enough time to open a vial of holy water and spray it on her face. The laughs suddenly turned into ear-splitting shrieks.

Alyssia fell to the ground almost immediately after the water began to melt the succumbus' face. With her hands around the handle of her sword, she pulled it out of the wall and turned to kill the little demonic mistress. When the succumbus lunged towards Alyssia to pick her up again, Alyssia was prepared. She drove the blade straight into the heart of the succumbus.

"What a pity," she said to the dying monster, "Leon will never meet you."

Blood surged out of the succubus' mouth as she tried to mouth words to Alyssia. Then, she and her plants faded away, leaving behind a floating yellow orb.

Alyssia grabbed her prize and allowed the healing light engulf her, teleporting her to Rinaldo's.


	7. The Final Orb

**Chapter 6**

Alyssia took a deep breath as she reappeared in front of a familiar place.

"Alyssia! You've returned!"

Leon came out to greet her while Rinaldo waited by the open door.

"Come inside quickly" said the graying man as he moved aside to let the two come in.

"And drink this. It'll help heal the cuts."

A light red mixture swiveled within a small vial as Rinaldo handed it to Alyssia. She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Leon. Sensing her distrust for the strange concoction, Leon nodded assuredly.

"It really does help heal you. Drink it."

"Alright." As soon as the liquid touched the inner linings of Alyssia's throat, her cuts from the previous battle began to fade into small scabs.

"See? I told you it would help."

"Thank you Rinaldo. You're a miracle worker."

Rinaldo waved his hand nonchalantly in response before going back to his work.

"Get on to your task. You have someone to rescue."

The two exited the small sanctuary before making their way to the familiar path back to the cursed castle. Smiling, Leon turned to Alyssia. "Only one more monster before we can get Sara back. Are you prepared Alyssia?"

She looked at the yellow orb in her hand. It was such a small thing; beautiful, smooth, and elegant in its simplicity. Yet she sensed the hidden power it held inside. The creator of these orbs, these keys for the seal, was the person keeping her sister.

'_Can I really get her back safe and sound? Can we win?'_

Clenching the orb in her hand, she answered Leon and her own inner doubts. "Yes Leon, I am prepared. Let's finish this."

After the pair released their orbs to the staircase pedestals, Leon and Alyssia made their way to the teleportation room. Standing on the final platform, Alyssia closed her eyes to keep from becoming blinded by the bright lights. She could do this, especially if she had a comrade.

'_I can do this.'_

* * *

><p>Humid. Dark. And <em>deadly.<em> Those were the three words that she would use to describe this place.

"Where are we Leon?" asked Alyssia as she finished off the last of the skeleton monsters. Drawing back her blade, she followed his direction, for it was he who acquired the enchanted map of the place.

"We're in the Gardens Forgotten by Time" he replied while walking a brisk pace. They made their way past several arches that were covered with vines and moss.

"Gardens Forgotten by Time huh? The name seems fitting."

Glancing around, Alyssia could not help but see the beauty the once desolate place held, and be saddened by its fall to a dreary state. Still, she could not stop to investigate the matter any further. She and Leon both knew of the creatures that appeared when warriors hesitated, and at this point, they could not afford to lose any more time in saving Sara.

After a few more confrontations with poisonous plants and strange lightning shooting eyes, Alyssia and Leon made their way to a room with several cat statues.

With a quizzical expression, Leon glanced at the map once more. "That's strange, this shouldn't be a dead end.

"What do you mean Leon?" inquired Alyssia as she looked around the room. There was no sign of an entrance anywhere.

"I mean" he said, "there should be a door right there." He pointed northeast, to a certain statue of a cat.

Alyssia walked over and examined the sphinx statue carefully, before noticing a small crack on the back wall. Raking her hand over the small opening, Alyssia felt a small breeze flow through them.

"Leon you're right. But there has to be a way to move this statue out of the way."

Alyssia started pushing against the base of the stone cat. Leon moved over to help. Slowly but surely stone started to rub against stone, creating an unmistakable grating sound.

The hidden entranceway was now revealed, and it seemed more dark and grim than the rest of the place. Regardless, the two moved on ready to finish the final task toward their goal.

The cave was filled with life-sized stone carvings of humans in various positions. They looked almost alive, with faces full of the last emotion they experienced; fear.

"Welcome," echoed a feminine voice throughout the cave. "I haven't had any visitors in a while."

Looking around, Leon tried to locate the voice while Alyssia drew her blade.

'_I swear,' _she thought, _'if it's another succumbus, I'll gut her before she gets the chance to fly around.'_

"Show yourself!" exclaimed Alyssia as she looked around the dark chamber. Other than the many stone statues, there was no presence. Then it moved.

"Wonderful sights aren't they? Don't worry, you'll be joining them soon enough."

She saw her. It was Medusa, the legendary snake-haired creature that turned living creatures to stone.

Leon responded, "All these stones were…"

"Humans." finished Alyssia before sneering in disgust. All these people did nothing to deserve such a fate. It made her blood boil. "You heartless monster!"

Medusa hissed, "Monster? What insolence."

She floated off the remnants of a stone statue, her eyes gleaming with malicious glee, "I'll grind you to dust!"

Her multiple snakes hissed and lashed out at Leon and Alyssia as the two tried to strike the large opponent. Conscious to avoid the snake fangs, the two maneuvered quickly to get to the source of the matter. Leon struck Medusa's face with hard blows while Alyssia worked to scalp the snakes that composed Medusa's hair. The tactic worked; two hazards were being eliminated at the same time.

Leon noticed that blood was pouring out of his opponent's eyes and pooling underneath her.

'_Her death must be near'_ he thought as he raised his whip once more. It was only when a drop of the acidic blood fell on his hand that he realized it was one of her weapons.

"Alyssia!" he yelled, "Don't touch the blood!"

Alyssia decapitated another head before noting several pools of blood on the floor. The tip of her boot skimmed over one and she saw its corrosive effects.

"Got it-ahhh!"

Before she could finish her reply, one of Medusa's snakes had bitten her arm. Alyssia instantly felt a burning sensation fill her veins as the snake's venom was released into her system. She screamed in desperation and thrust her blessed blade through its neck and towards her killer's head, destroying its brain. As the head fell limp, Alyssia felt its teeth release her arm. Already, the scathing effects of the venom were evident on her vambraces; they had been eaten away.

"Alyssia! Roll!"

Alyssia rolled to her right while cradling her wounded arm. Medusa was now rolling around like a gigantic boulder trying to crush the two assailants. While she was uncoiling her snakes, Leon rushed over to his comrade, his face full of concern.

"Are you okay?"

Biting her lip, Alyssia nodded and stood. But now, the world looked a bit more blurry than before. Medusa laughed and tried to turn them to stone but the two were able to duck out of its range. Leon ran with his whip at hand, ready to batter the final monster with a devastating series of blows. But he was knocked to the side by one of Medusa's snakes, and was struggling to keep its jaws from biting him.

Alyssia, seeing her friend in danger, forgot about her light-headedness and ran to kill the enemy. She dodged another snake that lunged towards her and began hacking at Medusa's face, cutting her lip in two.

Medusa shrieked and released Leon before releasing more streams of caustic blood to the arena. Leon took this chance to finish her off, landing multiple blows on her eyes. Alyssia also cut into the monster's flesh, slashing away any snake heads that were getting in the way. Eventually, the floating head fell to the ground before convulsing.

"You are…no match…for my ma-master…"

With those final words, the legendary monster faded away to dust, leaving behind the final orb.

"Alyssia," said Leon as he grasped the final orb. "We did it."

Alyssia smiled a weak smile. They had done it. The seal would be broken and Sara would be safe and sound. But then she felt dreadfully ill.

'_No no no!'_

She felt the snake's poison travelling through her veins at an alarming rate. Her vision blurred and she collapsed to the ground with foam coming out of her mouth.

"Alyssia? No! Hold on!"

With her consciousness fading in and out, she felt herself being picked up by strong hands. She saw Leon's alarmed expression before seeing a white light and then, darkness.

* * *

><p><em>She was in a garden, but it was not like the one forgotten by time. This one was beautiful, full of fresh flowers and magnolia trees. Their sweet scent filled the air and spread to her lungs while the sound of chirping birds reached her ears.<em>

_She felt the warmth of the sun._

_It was a magnificent place, full of life, wonder, and vibrant colors._

'_Am I in Heaven?'_

_Alyssia walked around and saw clear pools of water sparkling in the sun. And then she saw a rose bush by the water canals. It was thorny, but unmistakably filled with blooming white roses. She reached for one, before getting pricked by its thorns. Her blood dripped onto its petals as she drew her hand back. Looking at this strange sight, she thought to herself, 'The rose looks better with the color of blood.'_

_Then she noticed that she was not alone. _

_There was a man in front of her, a tall man lavishly dressed in a black blouse and a red surcoat, lined with silver fur from the shoulders to the collar and richly decorated with golden crests. He approached her and looked into her eyes; she was captivated by his features; a sharp nose with a well-defined jawline. His face was indeed handsome and neatly framed by his crimson locks. His eyes met hers as he placed her wounded finger into his mouth, sucking its blood. _

_Alyssia gasped as the intense hazel eyes seemed to penetrate her soul. _

"_Alyssia…"_

Alyssia woke up, someone was calling her name. "Huh?"

She still felt weak, as if she had woken with a fever. Looking around, she took notice of her surroundings. There was a fire burning from the fireplace and several animal hides on the wooden floor. She gasped as she tried to move her left arm; it felt unnaturally stiff and sore.

"I see you're awake." said a friendly voice. An elderly man came into her view with strands of bandages.

She was at Rinaldo's.

"Rinaldo? How did I get here? Where is Leon?"

Alyssia tried to get up, but struggled with the resulting dizziness.

Patting her back, Rinaldo comforted her, "I'll answer your questions, but first you must drink this. You were heavily poisoned by that creature called Medusa."

As if commanded by Rinaldo, a need for water rose from her parched mouth. Taking the bowl of clear liquid from his hand, Alyssia drank eagerly before spitting some out.

"Bleeauuch! What is that?"

Rinaldo chuckled, "It's medicine. It will help you get better soon. I made it myself just now, so it's freshly brewed."

As Alyssia reluctantly sipped the remedy, Rinaldo bandaged her arm and continued, "Leon carried you in here after your battle. You're lucky to even be alive. One more hour and you would have been as good as dead."

"Where is he now?" asked Alyssia, "Is he outside?"

Rinaldo nodded. "He went to the castle with the last key. He's gone to face Walter and get Sara back."

Alyssia choked, he had gone already?

"When did he leave?"

"A few minutes ago. Why?"

Then Rinaldo heard Alyssia stumble out of bed and put her cloak and sword belt on. She was already mobilizing, ready to walk out the door.

He blocked her path. "Are you mad?" he exclaimed with his arms extended, "You're in no condition to fight! You should stay here and get some rest. Leon will take care of it!"

Alyssia straightened herself and pushed her way past Rinaldo. "I'm fine. Besides, if I don't go now, I won't be able to exact my revenge on this Walter Bernhard."

Still, the old man refused to move, and instead, proceed to pull her away from the door.

"You're not going outside."

"Rinaldo," Alyssia continued, "please. You know how much this fight means to me. I have to save her. You can't promise me that Leon can defeat Walter by himself, you've seen this happen before." She grasped both of Rinaldo's shoulders and shook him, "With me, wounded or not, we have a fighting chance. Please…let me help save my sister."

Rinaldo sighed, he knew it would be impossible to try and stop this girl from going to the castle. She was as determined as he had once been when his own family had been killed. Still, he could not help but feel a sense of parental concern, as if he were about to leave one of his own in the jaws of a wolf.

Alyssia, sensing the worry that Rinaldo felt for her, stopped at the door's threshold to reassure him.

"Don't worry Rinaldo, I promise to return safe and sound."

"Go," he muttered, " and save your friends."

With that, Alyssia left the sanctuary of the hut, leaving behind the old man and his father-like concerns.

"I pray that you do child," he muttered as he watched her go, "I pray that you do."

**Alright, so it seems as if I'm on a roll here! I'm almost at the part where Alyssia and Walter will meet. What could possibly ensue? ****To all my readers, I thank you for your patience. The hits that I see on my story stats are encouragement enough to continue this story. It is a bit rough to read, and I apologize for that. As soon as I finish the story, I will re-edit it again, hopefully with more writing skills than the initial time. **

**If you have any suggestions or criticisms, please feel free to review any of the chapters. I would be delighted to read them. Also, to all experienced writers, please feel free to give me any advice. I would absolutely love to learn anything I can to make this story better. **

**Thank you and hope to see you for the next chapter soon!**


	8. The Initial Meeting and Exchange

**The Meeting**

White knuckles showed Leon and his frustration in rescuing his beloved; he was so close, she was practically in front of him! Walter laughed at the young ex-Baron's futile attempts.

"It was clever of Rinaldo to give you that whip," said the grinning vampire. "unfortunately it was never complete to begin with!"

The laughter that echoed in the room drove Leon to his feet.

"Please God…please…" he muttered. He prayed for some miracle to aid him in this wretched place. With a ragged breath and raised whip he tapped the final recesses of his endurance to save his betrothed. Walter merely smirked before flicking a finger, sending a fireball towards the charging knight. Then it was over, the knight had fallen and the villain had won.

Walter floated over to Leon's unconscious body with a disappointed sneer.

"And I thought you would be more entertaining than this…such a disappointment you humans are…"

Then a shadow flickered in the room. Walter quickly turned around only to find a silver sword had gone through his forearm. He was surprised that someone had managed to catch him off-guard, let alone a…

"_A woman?!"_

Alyssia drew her blade out and slashed at Walter's body, only to hit thin air. As an eerie mist filled the room, she assumed a defensive stance, "Come out Walter! Come out and face me you coward!"

Walter had turned himself into vapors of mist as he circled his new opponent. It was definitely a woman, and she was definitely armed. Breastplate, vambraces, sabatons, she was well -covered, especially by the red cape which seemed to give off a faint almost magical glow. Her stance with the sword revealed her knowledge of fighting, something that Walter found _intriguing._

Alyssia held her blade in front of her and strained her auditory sense to know the direction of her opponent's first blow. Quickly glancing a look to her left at Leon's body, she felt a pang of relief for having come just in time. _'He's still breathing.' _

But she knew he wouldn't survive for long, not unless he got help. Rinaldo had given her a scroll that would return her to the hut if she ever needed it. She unrolled the scroll and placed it in Leon's hands. After muttering the incantation, there was a flash of light. His body vanished, teleporting to Rinaldo's hut.

Walter saw her momentary distraction, her sense of relief; it was all he needed. He materialized in front of her and knocked her against the wall, effectively making her drop her weapon. He grinned inwardly as the look on her face changed from shock to horror before disappearing into the stoic mask of a warrior.

"Well" he started while grasping her hands and neck tight, "isn't this a succulent surprise?"

Alyssia mentally cursed her foolishness and demanded, "Where is Sara?!"

Walter frowned, Sara? What could this person want with Sara? The questions in his mind quickly faded as they had appeared when he felt a burning sensation on his face.

Alyssia coughed as she fell, having been abruptly released from being choked. _'thank God I had that holy water still…'_

She spotted her trusty blade that stood only a few feet away from her. Grasping the handle her arms retracted to bring it to a swing when she heard an unexpected shattering sound. Her blade had been reduced to the size of a dagger, with Walter's foot resting triumphantly above the broken shards. His eyes gleamed with a maliciousness never seen. As Walter's other foot made contact with the left side of her head, she felt herself fall before seeing darkness.

Alyssia felt her body being held up, restrained, by chains. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was still in the same room that she had fought Walter in. Then she heard his voice.

"Ah, I see you have finally woken up." It was none other than him, and his complexion was unmarred, unlike what she had seen before on his half-melted face.

Walter ambled closer. Now that his new opponent was restrained, he could do all he wanted. Alyssia knew this and inwardly shivered.

"I see that Sara is your sister. How noble of you to come out all this way to save your own flesh and blood.."

As if on cue, Sara walked out towards Walter as if in a trance.

"Sara!" Alyssia cried out. "Sara! Get out of here while you still can!"

"She can't hear you dear," interrupted Walter as his fingers traced Sara's jawline. "She's completely under my control. Watch as she begs for me to bite her, to drain her of life and" he paused as if reveling, "purity."

He snapped his fingers and a soft moan escaped from Sara's lips. "Please master, please, take me…"

Alyssia glowered hatefully as Walter chuckled at his "pet". He shifted their position so that Alyssia would get a better scope of the tainting.

"Now," he continued, "how can I resist a request like that? Especially from a pure creature like her."

He lowered his lips down onto Sara's and she responded passionately. Alyssia saw that her eyes were still distant and glazed.

'_Alyssia' _ a voice resounded in her head, _'please, help me!'_

"Stop!" shouted Alyssia, her voice was desperate. "Please! Not her, do not taint her!"

Walter leered as he continued his fingers undid the corset on Sara's neck. "But where else would I get blood to rejuvenate me? Especially after what you did to me earlier…no, I'd say this is completely warranted on my part." The corset fell to the ground.

Alyssia's eyes widened as she saw Walter's fangs protrude from his mouth. As Walter bent down and pricked the surface of Sara's skin, Alyssia made a drastic choice.

"I demand an exchange!"

He straightened his back and looked at her questioningly, his eyes puzzled but amused.

"What?"

"I request" began Alyssia, as the meaning of what she had said dawned upon her, "an exchange. Take me as a willing sacrifice in her place." Her voice increased with conviction as she finished her words.

Walter was a skeptic. He thought about the offer, one that he had never considered before. He carefully pried into Sara's mind and found that the two sisters shared a bond unlike any other.

He saw that the two would sacrifice themselves for the safety of another.

'_I could use this to my advantage,' _he thought. It would spare him the trouble of having to start another game, especially if Sara could to get the young Baron to bring more knights to his fortress. There was potential for a bigger game, more fun, compared to what he had now.

"If I take you in her place" said Walter as he walked towards Alyssia, " you, all of you, the heart of your essence, will belong to me."

You, you, your, each time those words were said Alyssia felt his fingers undo her cloak and armor. The strange part was, they were still there. It was as if his hands had passed through them and touched her core.

As his hands grasped the sides of her waist she gasped. He looked at her speculatively. "Do you still agree to this?"

With a slow hesitant nod Alyssia stuttered, "Y-yes."

She felt his presence withdraw from her at once.

"Very well." said Walter as he snapped his fingers once more. Alyssia fell to the ground; she had been freed from her magical chains.

"I release your sister. She is no longer my prisoner."

With those words spoken, Sara's eyes fell shut and her frame collapsed, like a marionette puppet had its strings cut. Alyssia rushed towards her to catch her before she fell onto the floor.

"However Lady Alyssia, keep this in mind. Your sister's life is still in my hands until you keep your word. Do not think her life will be spared if you do not keep your word. I shall expect you in the upmost tower in the castle. Bring none but yourself."

With that, Walter swung his cape and disappeared into a colony of bats flying towards the waxing moon, leaving the two sisters alone in the limited embrace they had.


End file.
